Sunday, May 22, 2016

Week 8 "Nanotech + Art"

Before we focus on the "bigger" things such as space, we can also find artistic inspirations in the microscopic field. With nanotechnology going on the rise, not only are we able to observe microscopic images to great detail, we can also express our artistic creativity by engineering projects through nanotechnology.

Microscopic images such as these are often confused with contemporary designs

By observing these microscopic structures, we can further apply these artistic concepts into normal scale designs,. Whether it's furniture or for understanding how to make better materials, microscopy such as the STM or TEM have served as an inspiration for many designers.

In addition to just viewing these images and getting inspiration, artists have also engineered their art into a microscopic form. With the advent of nanotechnology, it is without a doubt that engineers have tried to "nano-ize" daily items. For example, engineers have constructed a fully operational microscopic violin that is only a couple of microns long. Music itself is considered as an art form, and with that, engineers have crafted a micron length tool of art.

But who can play it?

Other than real-world application of nanotechnology, the term and concept of "nanotechnology" have often been a hot topic for films. For example, the film GI Joe uses the concept of nanobots as a potential weapon of mass destruction. While the concept of how nanotechnology was used is not necessarily artistic, the use of "nanotechnology" as a futuristic tool was portrayed in an art form: film.

Based on this week's material, I would say that NOVA's videos and the lecture slides were the most useful in establishing the connection between art and nanotechnology. While the website were useful for understanding "nanotechnology", the lack of a connection with the artistic side did not help too much.